Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Private The World is a Stage

Relationship Status: It's Complicated
VarDiv.png
TAG: Kaila Irons Kaila Irons

Echnos had nearly been another disaster. He did not want to question the governor after so many already had, but his own interests demanded it. The Second Legion was ready, and the decision which the governor had made to stir Kainites had the potential to disrupt the ongoing support of what Kaila had agreed to. The Dread Wolf did not like the idea of having to hold her hand, but the Lupo also seemed to think the woman showed she was playing a game over her head.

His arrival was unannounced this time. Considering their agreement, the Wolf did not think he owed her the courtesy of broadcasting his intentions. Rather catching her off guard would allow him a better assessment of what her current state was. It was not like Darth Carnifex Darth Carnifex or Srina Talon Srina Talon to make a mistake when bestowing leadership on another. Gerwald did not believe they had. He had been present when she had been given her plan. It had been a good plan, yet she deviated from it, and why?

That was the answer Gerwald did not have. It had been determined then her governorship would be under the watchful eye of Carnifex. The Dread Wolf had not interfered because he had seen no reason to. Now, the attempted expulsion of all Kainites, laying it at Malum’s feet, she had caused quite the stir. Afterward, the Dread Wolf had learned of Srina’s intervention. Gerwald had not been present as he opted to keep Prazutis in check. It likely would have been suicide, but if it helped to avert a civil war breaking out, Gerwald would have stood in the way gladly.

His shuttle landed near the palace, bearing the sigil of his house. The Dread Wolf was more than a title, it was his nature. Gerwald had been shaped and fashioned into what he was by the circumstances of his life. From the lies of his mother, the betrayal of his sister, and the gruesome death of the woman he had loved. His life had been spent reacting to the world around him. That had changed the moment he agreed to what Srina Talon had to do in order to bring Naedira back. Every decision he made now was for his own purposes. He had embraced the darkness which he had danced around.

Determined steps carried him toward the manor. This would be the third time he walked into the governor’s suite. This time it was with one question, and he would not leave until his answer was satisfied. Rather than ask, he demanded.

“Explain yourself.”

 
ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴀᴛʜᴇᴍᴏᴜꜱ

The Empress had demanded answers. The Tsis'kaar demanded answers. Carnifex demanded answers not but a night ago. Everyone demanded of her the answer to one simple questions; What were you thinking?

It were those who did not ask which bothered her most. She ruled over a city gripped by silence. By fear. Darth Anathemous had calculated every life within this dome into her plan, and deemed them a sacrifice she was willing to make, on the off chance this decision brought war to her shores a second time. It was... so very Sith of her. Perhaps that day was the first time she had truly been sith since being shipped to these lands like mere cargo.

But it would haunt her.

Nothing escaped the young darth's notice in her city. Every crime, every new arrival, and every fearful expression of a mother clutching her children. She had come here to be better these people than those who would unleash terror upon this city, and in her quest for freedom, thrown it all away.

All this and more could be seen in the myriad camera feeds displayed, holographically suspended above her desk even as Gerwald entered.


“Explain yourself.”

The governor was quiet for a brief time, staring out one of the few windows in this entire city, naught but rocky flatlands as far as the eye could see. The only signs of life in that picture were the sickly glow of golden eyes staring back at her in it's reflection, near unblinking, ever seeing right through the physical world and into a land of calculation, of possibilities.

"I never thought he'd endanger our logistics with that fleet." she intoned almost questioningly, idly dragging nails from one side of her lip to the other in thought, back still turned to Gerwald, though she intended no disrespect.

"I was so sure that he'd send an assassin to do the job. Quick. Clean, no collateral, by all accounts it would have been the correct move."

"It should have worked."

Her eyes narrowed for a moment, but in the end her doubts abated.

"I suppose it doesn't matter now." she flicked her wrist, rather than shrug.

Yet her tone hardly changed. Still cold. Contemplative, but dead. Her eyes responded to reflected movement, her ears to the sound of his voice and her own body to all, ready to act at a moment's notice should things go awry, she was alert, and yet simultaneously she was simply not there.

"Shipments are arriving on time despite the chaos. I have my freedom, not even Malum can order me to spy for him."

"Carnifex can no longer erase my memories..."

Her lip curled into a bitter, yet toothy smirk, almost uncanny on an otherwise lifeless face.

"He could have erased some of the torture, at least."



Gerwald Lechner Gerwald Lechner

Sith-blood.png
 
Relationship Status: It's Complicated
VarDiv.png
TAG: Kaila Irons Kaila Irons

“Never thought?!?”

Gerwald was incredulous, and while he was normally guarded with his reactions, this time he let it slip. He stopped himself from ripping into the woman as she continued to explain what was going on. There was more to the story than a simple lapse of judgement. Gerwald would not let her lack of foresight slide by, but he needed the whole story. It was clear that while she carried some wisdom about, she was still a novice. Everything about what she had said was evidence she had been manipulated and did not know it.

The Dread Wolf knew the feeling.

At the mention of torture, the Wolf rolled his eyes. It was something of a family trait. He knew Carnifex was not innocent by any stretch of the imagination. In fact of all the Sith Gerwald had allied himself with, there was no question to the evil he was capable of. It was an alliance of mutual gain and benefit, one born of respect. How the Wolf had earned the respect of the Dark Lord, Gerwald would never truly know. Carnifex recognized power, but the Dread Wolf had yet to escape the shadow of his monikers.

He was more than the emperor’s executioner. His war would show it to all.

A flick of his wrist and the doors to her office closed. This was going to be a private meeting. It was rare that Gerwald chastised anyone in public. The only occasions had been due to a public grievance. None had been aware of Gerwald’s vested interest in Echnos, and even if they had, it would not have changed the outcome. The one who was in the position to ensure their protection had failed to maneuver her pieces properly.

Kaila Irons overplayed her hand.

“You are Sith, a Darth, recognized by the Empress, even by Carnifex, whose hand you decided to bite. I do not know every detail of your past with him, but it was by his recommendation you became governor here. Malum cannot command what you do not already wish to allow.”

Was Gerwald calling the insinuation an excuse? Yes. His only thing to compare it to was his relationship with Srina Talon. While he obeyed the Echani it was not because she forced it, but because Gerwald wanted to. She pushed him to be more, and perhaps they were more peers than what they had been in the past. It still did not change the fact her teaching shaped him more than any other. She had earned his obedience and loyalty.

The Dread Wolf sighed.

“You miscalculated how personal Carnifex would take your actions. The entirety of Kainite influence? Your proclamation was too public.”

Gerwald’s tone shifted. Kaila would be able to tell he was not upset, though there was still a hint of disappointment in his voice. This was about more than the logistics they had agreed upon. It was about plans which were much larger than even she was privy to. Her slight had threatened the stability Gerwald and others were giving their energy toward. The days of internal strife and chaos among the Sith needed to end.

“You could have consulted me. You should have consulted me. Our agreement gives you direct access to me. There are few who can boast such a claim.”

He sat in the chair across from her, the desk the only thing between them.

“You would find an ally if you would open your eyes wide enough to see it.”

 
ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴀᴛʜᴇᴍᴏᴜꜱ

"I didn't think you'd care." she hummed tiredly.

"No one else does, save perhaps..." The Empress.

"Hmh... It's the second time she's chosen to spare me an execution. I owe her more than just loyalty..."

Anathemous turned to face him at last, sliding into a simple officer chair across from the dark councilor, the third and most frequent of whom she'd hosted in this walls. Admittedly the young darth was nearly as intrigued by The Wolf's statement as she was with The Empress, just as she was with their relative calm, all things considered.


"I am aware that the plan was... flawed."

She poured herself a duraporcelain cup of near fresh tarine, hanging the kettle over another, idly waiting for confirmation as to whether he'd like any or not whilst they spoke.

"It was rushed... A decision made in passion and anger."

"I would never question The Empress of course, but I wasn't trained for this. He kept me away from politics, expeditions mostly."

"I should have taken more time to learn politics in between my duties." She averted her gaze, choosing to return the blame to herself rather than lay it solely on Carnifex.

"I bargained, perhaps naïvely, for my freedom, and was conned. I reacted... poorly, and now we're here. I suppose that's all there is to explain, really."

Anathemous took a sip, noting that it had cooled just enough to drink during their conversation. It was soothing, her shoulders seeming to relax more.

"Mm. I am surprised, admittedly, by your statement. Especially now."

Her studious eyes flicked to his.

"But... why?"



Gerwald Lechner Gerwald Lechner

Sith-blood.png
 
Relationship Status: It's Complicated
VarDiv.png
TAG: Kaila Irons Kaila Irons

Politics. Gerwald hated the word more than any other he had been forced to develop a skill for. His appetite for it was no different than when Srina started taking him with her in her role as Exarch of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. She was skilled at such things. Perhaps it was the way her species read body language. Gerwald was always the warrior, the warlord, ready to kill and fight. It made the art of politicking difficult because the outcome was typically one that was meant to avoid bloodshed.

No, he supposed Kaila was not trained for it. It would keep her dependent on those which were, namely Carnifex. Gerwald knew her placement by the Dark Lord had been his way of asserting a sense of Kainite control over Echnos. The goal had been to see the Holy Worlds reintegrate into the main society of the Sith Order. With the hypergates now connecting them in a more cohesive manner, they could function together more easily. That would require certain concessions of course, but every party would be forced to make them for it to work as it should.

He watched as she poured herself a cup of tea. Her guard lowered, which was good. This was not meant to be a hostile meeting, though Gerwald supposed it could be if her actions dictated it. While he was a killer, death was not the desired outcome here.

“You did, and it was.”

There was nothing more to really say on the subject of what had transpired. Other than…

“You have learned your lesson then.”

It was a statement, not a question.

Her question turned to his last statement. Why would he ally with her, or more importantly why should she ally herself with him. The answer to that question was as simple as the question itself.

“Because you don’t seem to have any.”

Naturally he was excluding the relationship she seemed to be developing with the Empress.

“Carnifex used you, which had you allowed things to play out could have worked out to your advantage. By your own admission Malum was simply doing the same. Far be it for me to say, but aside from Srina Talon, I am the only one among this Order to treat you like you are an equal.”

It was what made Gerwald different from other Sith. He had learned the lesson in a more difficult way than he should have. It had taken the blunt and frenzied insults of an Anzat to get the Dread Wolf to see that he could still be Sith and be the leader he had been when he was Lord Commander of the Knights Obsidian. His influence did not come from his power alone. It came by drawing it out of those who followed him.

Would Kaila be such a one?

Time would tell.

 
ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴀᴛʜᴇᴍᴏᴜꜱ

“Because you don’t seem to have any.”

Whether he was providing a reason that she should become his ally, or merely a statement as to why he wished to be, the young darth was stumped. Her eyes narrowed in consideration.

In the end, he was right.

She had something akin to friends perhaps, or at least sith with whom she could speak more freely, but allies? In short supply, but high demand. A statistical anomaly, she thought. But it was true that Lord Lechner had treated her very differently from other sith, even some whom she once cared a great deal for.

As an equal. What a strange and foreign word.

She did not believe for a moment that remaining with Carnifex would have brought any advantage, but otherwise this felt strangely genuine.


"What does this entail, exactly?" she asked after a time.

"What piece am I on the Dejarik board?"

Logistics were being handled well before this day, and clearly she made a poor spy, and even worse politician.

To her understanding, an alliance between sith was just two people using each other to a specific end, just with added benefits to both parties. Everyone had a role to play, and Kaila Solus was still trying to figure out what that was. Or how best she might benefit from his involvement, for that matter. If nothing else though, it was good to the support of a Dark Councilor in the event that she made strong enemies again, even if she would be more careful to avoid this.

"Forgive me if my questions are impertinent, my lord. I'm just... still trying to figure out how exactly I fit into this order."

Admittedly she had been thrust into this mantle a little quick for comfort, rising high up the tower, but on a ladder most frail.

But it was that or death, and Anathemous was keen to outlast.



Gerwald Lechner Gerwald Lechner

Sith-blood.png
 
Relationship Status: It's Complicated
VarDiv.png
TAG: Kaila Irons Kaila Irons

And there was the question Kaila should have been asking all along. What piece was she? Gerwald was certain she would not like the answer. Though he was also certain she had heard something similar from his own mistress. The words slipped from his tongue with ease as though he had repeated them a thousand times more than what was necessary. He believed them. The conviction with which they were presented would inform anyone who heard them about who he was underneath the armor and gruff exterior.

“That is for you to decide.”

It was that simple. He would not tell her that Carnifex would have said the same thing. In truth the reason the Dark Lord treated her as he had was because he had been allowed to. Sith did what they wanted, took what they wanted. Kaila had simply not challenged him, and when she did, it was done in a foolish way. A Sith like Kaine Zambrano would make her pay every single time because he could. It was for no other reason, nor any more complicated than that single truth.

“If you do not wish to be a pawn, then do not act like one.”

It would seem to be contrary to the way in which he scolded her earlier, but Kaila had already admitted she had learned her lesson. Gerwald could even make the argument how she had gone about trying to secure her freedom was the behavior of a pawn. For the sake of her ego, he would keep that thought to himself. They had already agreed to move on.

“You fit where you wish to fit. When I came to the Sith I joined Empyrean and the Eternalists because I knew him before the Worm. I knew what Carnifex and his uncle were capable of and wanted nothing to do with advancing those ideals. Ophidia had already revealed her treachery by the time anyone among this Order knew who I was. Yet now, I sit on the Dark Council and control what happens in this Empire.”

Gerwald stood from the chair and walked over to the fire. He opted to pour himself a glass of tea as well, even if he did not care for the beverage. It seemed as though the conversation, while still one of important business, was becoming more personal. If Kaila was going to keep her guard down and allow the Wolf to speak into her situation, he needed to give her a reason to.

Politics.

“The days of Eternalist, Kainite, and Tsis’kaar must come to an end,” The Dread Wolf said as he turned toward the woman. "There is no need for you to be any of those, when I am no longer any of them myself."

Gerwald paused, letting Kaila understand what it was he was saying.

“With the Galactic Alliance on our border, and the Empire of the Lost hungry for retribution after Tion, we do not need the dangers of war within our Order. There is plenty of war to be had outside of our own for all to make a name for themselves.”

The Dread Wolf grinned.

“Tell me… what news comes this way of my raids? Haven’t you ever been curious to see my style of warfare up close?”

 
ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴀᴛʜᴇᴍᴏᴜꜱ

Kaila turned her attention to the small bowl of sugar cubes nearby, jaw clenched slightly as she added more to her tea, as if it would cover the bitter taste of that word in her mouth.

Pawn.


"You sound like a slave.", he said flatly, bruskly.

It reminded her too much of what The Emperor had said during their secret meeting. The worst part being that... He was correct. "Yes my lord", "Thank you my lord" "Apologies my lord". And when she challenged that status quo at long last, where did it get her? Surrounded by enemies, alone, right back where she started.

Well, not quite. She was still in one piece, and her newest memories intact.

I have no doubts that soon you will even sacrifice your pride - and make it as far as us."

Yes. She had to remember all she'd learned to come so far, despite the setbacks. Pride would have to wait awhile longer, survival was still her top priority right now.

“The days of Eternalist, Kainite, and Tsis’kaar must come to an end,” The Dread Wolf said as he turned toward the woman. "There is no need for you to be any of those, when I am no longer any of them myself."

"Hmh." she managed the briefest smile from the corner of her lip as her gaze softened.

It seemed ironic that she should agree when only days before she had nearly brought civil war to the entire nation. She might have felt powerful then, if that we her intention. But the truth was simple; She believed in fighting for a united empire. A better more prosperous empire.

But one without Carnifex.

Perhaps she truly had been as naïve she believed Malum to be. Pride, she reminded herself. The pride must be stowed away. So long as The Empress remained, she would not let Him ruin the lives of so many imperials as He had the Kainate, and she could focus on her role. Or so she chose to believe. And of course with war looming, it seemed the entire empire would be forced to set aside their pride and survive. With every Kaggath and plot, The Jedi came closer to eradicating their religion, their way of life.

They had to stop acting like Banites for a moment, and more like the ancient Sith who's legacy they- no- she claimed.

With or without Him... She needed this empire.

It was all she had.


“Tell me… what news comes this way of my raids? Haven’t you ever been curious to see my style of warfare up close?”

She touched the now sweetened tea to her lips, allowing her eyes to close and thoughts to drift a moment.

"I am cautious of mere rumor, but... The story closest to truth, I assume, is that they are brutal."

"But..." her eyes opened, contemplative but understanding of the gravity of these stories.

"Effective. I've not heard of a single defeat."

Her fingers became steepled as she leaned forward on her elbows, chin resting atop the slender, but surprisingly sturdy bridge.

There was a lot to consider. Namely, what would Ala Quin think if she knew...? If she were ordered to commit some atrocity, could she rightly refuse with so much at stake? She must remind herself that she was doing this for her. for them. If she returned home in a plastic bag, would Ala not be even more horrified?

Fact is, a Sith was more likely to find herself in a grave for leaving herself exposed at home than fighting on the battlefield.

It wasn't an easy decision by any means, but it was quick.

"I will prepare my forces." she stated with a tone of finality.

"They will be meager at first, scant few veterans among them."

"And I may need to invest in additional ships."

Her eyes darted for a time, as if she could see the logistical forms being written and the pieces falling into place already. But when they settled at last, they did so with a newfound satisfaction.

"Hm. Yes, I believe with time in the crucible, perhaps the Iron will become Steel."

She offered him a handshake, the deep sound of her arm hitting the table alluding to her iron grasp, the hidden strength of Laminanium bones. Another poisoned gift from her former master.

"To war then?"



Gerwald Lechner Gerwald Lechner

Sith-blood.png
 
Last edited:
Relationship Status: It's Complicated

VarDiv.png
TAG: Kaila Irons Kaila Irons

“Brutal. Effective. Bloody.”

The words echoed what she believed and heard about his raids into the former space which the Rimward Trade League had occupied. His eyes were set on Stewjon, though as the holomap appeared before them, Naboo caught his eye. There were several memories which drew his eye to the hex it occupied.

He wondered where her thoughts went as he talked about the need to stop the infighting. His words were his conviction. The more they fought with each other the weaker their Order and Empire became. They had to be strong for what they were about to face. Pride and hubris were traps for the Sith as much as they were for the Jedi. Gerwald had seen it all too many times. The balance he had tried to walk among the Knights Obsidian had been born of that knowledge. Yet, he knew even he was not safe from it.

A nod was the only response he gave to her question.

They were going to war, but he would not see Echnos and the work Kaila had begun for him abandoned to give her a tour of his warfare. She would not like his allies, one in particular.

“In time.”

He motioned about the city.

“If I take you away, who will oversee the remainder of what is left unfinished here?”

It would not be wise for her to leave so soon after what she had done. Stability on Echnos was compromised once more, and it needed to be repaired. She wanted to build, and the Wolf did not care if she built for herself provided she kept to their agreement. He would have what she had promised or she would learn first hand how brutal and effective he could be. It was not a conditional alliance he proposed, but as Kaila had wondered, Sith did ally for benefit. She just seemed to underestimate her value.

“Finish your work here before my next campaign, and I will take you on one of my raids.”

Gerwald reached across the table and took her forearm. It was a warriors grasp.

 
ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴀᴛʜᴇᴍᴏᴜꜱ

"Hmh. I'll be patient then." she gave him faint, coy smile as they grasped arms.

It wasn't as if she enjoyed killing for killing's sake, but in standing against Malum recently, she had rediscovered a guilty pleasure in the exhilaration of combat. Perhaps it was unbecoming of a Sorceress, and certainly something Ala might find displeasing, but a part of Kaila was... curious what it might feel like to indulge. Perhaps it was a byproduct of her Mandalorian past bleeding through the memory wipe. A part of who she was.

"Hm."

She reclined in her seat, thumb to her lip in thought as she considered what it would take to finish her work here in time to test that curiosity. Amends would need to be made with the Kainite families she had threatened to exile, for they could no longer be replaced within her government now that The Empress had demanded they be allowed safe return. A few individuals could be disposed of according to their agreement, those who challenged her rule here leading up to the crisis, but not those who'd since been quieted. Perhaps it wasn't comfortable having them here, But she supposed they were innocent, so far.

There were also her forces. The local PDF had been handpicked such that none of the armed personnel had been true Kainites in the first place. All she really needed was to upgrade her defenses based on what they'd learned from the standoff, and then build some manner of offensive force to follow her into Lord Lechner's campaign.

"It occurs to me that any excess Echnosian personnel from which I might have risen an offensive force were transferred to your legion on my orders."

She smiled faintly at the irony.

"I have a small force of droids I keep stored away but my officers may take issue with them because of local customs."

Her eyes narrowed in thought, recalling the funds brought in from what few assets remained on Canto Bight. The Haxion Brood was gone, but her Red Ronin still maintained operations in the casino city, enough that to suit her purposes.

"I assume mercenaries would be no issue?" she looked up at him curiously.

"I might have some old... friends, from the underworld. They can fight but they can also finance, perhaps I can find a suitable PMC."

"My sepulchral can manage in my stead once I've handled a few local issues, so beside that, and whatever the legion requires of course, I think expanding my forces to strike offensively is the main concern to address before I may depart."



Gerwald Lechner Gerwald Lechner

Sith-blood.png
 
Relationship Status: It's Complicated
VarDiv.png
TAG: Kaila Irons Kaila Irons

“You must be patient,” Gerwald retorted. “I do not believe you have any other choice, not one that allows you to keep the many promises you have made.”

He returned her coy grin with one of his own. Her mind was scheming how she could accomplish everything she had committed herself to, but in time she would hopefully come to understand she could not. It was the reason Gerwald was careful with what he promised. There had been a time when he would have promised anyone the world for any reason. What he could deliver was something else. It had taken his own failures to learn that only a fool promised what they could not deliver.

“Make less promises. Weigh your commitments. Too many of them, and your loyalty will mean nothing.”

It was a warning.

“Should that happen, my visit will be in a different capacity.”

Kaila needed to know their alliance did not exclude her from becoming just another upstart which he was forced to put down. His loyalty to the Empress and the desire to see an Order which was strong and no longer plagued by the base things which had seen the end of the previous empires was what kept Gerwald pushing forward. It was only in that Empire his mate and those he cared for would be safe.

The Dread Wolf played a dangerous game, and he knew it. He did not need those who joined him playing fast and loose with their commitments. They needed to know who they were, and more importantly, they needed to know what they stood for. This was not the time for child’s play. Too much was at stake. The future would be shaped by what they did.

At least she knew what needed to happen in order for her to leave on a raid. A smile pulled at the corner of his mouth when the woman pointed out Gerwald had filled his ranks with those she could have used.

“That was our agreement based on your confidence they could be replaced by droids.”

He had warned her then she would likely need them. Should he have stayed quiet now? Perhaps it was worth the lesson.

“Though it seems you have a path forward. Should war take you away from your post, you will need to know your plan will not fail. One raid will tell you what else needs to be considered.”

The Dread Wolf knew she would come to the realization she had not accounted for everything, but unlike other Sith, Gerwald believed that one needed to make mistakes on occasion. Failure was a better teacher than most. A Sith which boasted to have no faults was often the weakest of them all.

“Now answer me one question. Why did you involve Marr?”

 
ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴀᴛʜᴇᴍᴏᴜꜱ

“Should that happen, my visit will be in a different capacity.”

"Yes...Carnifex warned as much."

She was still reeling from his visit in the night, and the truths he'd dropped on this very desk. She had always known deep down that her past would be difficult to accept, but never had she imagined the depths to which this rabbit hole would delve. Almost more unnerving however, were the very human emotions which had led her former master to reveal this to her.

Kaila seemed almost distant while their conversation continued.

Despite his warning, multitasking seemed almost a part of who she was, and though she remained well aware of what was being said, taking each word into consideration, a part of her remained—as always— rooted in the past.


“Now answer me one question. Why did you involve Marr?”

Well, the recent past it seemed.

"Marr..." she said bitterly.

"A few reasons."

Anathemous took another sip of her tea, allowing the warmth and sweet flavor to uncloud her mind a moment while she considered how best to approach the topic.

"His agent, Darth Anguina, she was the one who found proof of the missing memories I'd been searching for all this time. It wasn't long after that Marr approached me, offered my freedom in exchange for... Me."

What exactly that entailed, she would leave to the imagination.

"When he chose instead to leave me inside the Kainate, breaking the terms of our agreement, I thought it only fair to use him in kind."

Hell hath no fury, as they say. Perhaps the wolf had never seen the depths of her hatred nor the rage hidden behind her demure tendencies, a rage for which The Empress had risen her so early risen her to this station, but perhaps on the battlefield he may yet glimpse at the vicious thing that was Darth Anathemous. Her truest self, unburdened by expectation and restraint.

Very few had seen her true potential. Not even Kaila was fully aware. She would have preferred a more calculated legacy.

"I... needed there to be a risk of war..." she admitted after, glancing sidelong in faint shame.

"I believed that invoking the Tsis'kaar would force Carnifex to reconsider the risks, that if simply bombarding my people from orbit could mean civil war with the Tsis'kaar in such uncertain times, he would send assassins instead. My people would not be punished for my freedom, Marr could not force me to stay in the Kainate, and I would have fewer foes to face directly."

"I would either prove myself better than his assassins, or I would die a free woman."

"That at least, was a risk I'd be willing to take."

She paused a moment, eyes narrowing at their own reflection in her cup.

"But Carnifex was already in my system before the broadcast ended. How or why is... beyond me."

All communications were blocked. No one was informed of the plan until it was too late, and no one had been allowed to leave. Not even her allies were informed until they saw the broadcast themselves when it was far too late to stop her from pushing the Kainites into orbit.

Whatever brought Him here, it was no corporeal thing.



Gerwald Lechner Gerwald Lechner

Sith-blood.png
 
Relationship Status: It's Complicated
VarDiv.png
TAG: Kaila Irons Kaila Irons

Carnidex had warned her about the Wolf. Interesting. Of all the Sith which Gerwald interacted with there were two which recognized he often acted as he wished. The Zambrano was one of them. The Dread Wolf had not expected him to prop up his position as executioner, however, as Kaine had pointed out in one of their meetings, it was title to be used, and one not to balk at. It was one reason why he had made the claim among those who thought as he did about what the Sith Order needed to look like.

Gerwald was not just the executioner. He was the Inquisition.

It did not matter who sat at the head of the organized entity by that label. Gerwald Lechner was the one who would keep them in place and in line. It had partly been why he allowed the Kaggath. In his mind Taeli Raaf Taeli Raaf was the one who had the claim to Strosius, but the Kaggath was something which she had allowed as well despite both agreeing they felt Malum would find a way to use it to save Alisteri rather than punish him.

The Dread Wolf had issued a warning. He hoped he would not have to make good on the threat which had been levied that day.

His attention returned to the woman across the desk from him. Her answers gave the Lord Commander insight into why she had taken the path she had. Both had earlier agreed it was a foolish path to take, and mistakes had been made. Now the Wolf understood why. It was not just Carnifex she was trying to take out, but it was Malum as well.

He found himself smiling again.

“You are playing a very dangerous game.”

It was an observation, not a warning.

“However, if I understand you correctly. You simply traded one task master for another? I may be oversimplifying everything you just told me, but you would not have died a free woman.”

Gerwald was a tactician and a warrior before he was anything else. Had he been in a position to advise the girl, he would have nudged her toward a different path. Causing war, or even the appearance of it, had threatened more than she realized at the time. She had admitted such already. Her fixation on Carnifex had the potential to cause other issues which the Wolf wanted to avoid. Namely, she needed to understand that Gerwald would not be drawn into open conflict with him. They shared a vision for the future, one that diverged on certain details, but on the ones which mattered, they were unified.

He sighed.

“Empyrean did not ascend Carnifex with open conflict. Even the Eternalists needed the backing of the Tsis’Kaar to nullify the potential threat of the Kainite forces. They are strong, and Carnifex has survived much and still retained his power. It doesn’t matter how or why he was in the system. He was. Your maneuver at least showed me one thing. It showed me where our Order is still weak.”

Gerwald finally took a sip of the tea he had poured. It was bitter, though he did not mind. He preferred it to something more sweet.

“Now tell me, Anathemous, can you contain your hatred of the man if it makes our Order stronger?”

 
ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴀᴛʜᴇᴍᴏᴜꜱ

“You are playing a very dangerous game.”

"Was." she clarified in a near instant.

For all the trouble it had caused her, Anathemous had learned a great deal from the incident. Weaknesses in her defenses, faults in her predictions and even her assumptions of Carnifex's character. But most of all it taught her subtlety. She needn't be so subserviently as her younger self, but neither could she act out so publicly. A balance, it seemed, was her best course of action moving forward.

Echnos could never happen again.

“Now tell me, Anathemous, can you contain your hatred of the man if it makes our Order stronger?”

"Hm." she went quiet for a time.

Thinking. Always thinking, but were they the correct thoughts? That was the question on so many minds it seemed. So many expectations yet the moment she chose to act of her own interest and not that of her betters, it had all come crashing down. But she supposed that, in the end, Srina had given her what she wanted for it. Just not how she ever imagined.

"He no longer owns me. That's all that matters."

So long as He continued to acknowledge this, and continued to serve The Empress as she now did, that would be the end of it.

Even if...

There will come a time in the future where your first instinct will be to turn away from the Empress, to forsake her just as you have forsaken me. Resist this impulse, remain faithful to the Empress."

Her eyes narrowed on the near empty cup as she recalled words spoken in this very office but a few nights ago, wondering just what He alluded to.

She chose to banish the thought, refilling her cup, drowning the bitter taste in sugar cubes.


"If I may satisfy a personal curiosity, my lord, How did you come to serve our empress?"

So many sith loyal to one woman, even those whom she once could not fathom swearing loyalty to another being. What commonality lied within these stories? What ties them all to her.



Gerwald Lechner Gerwald Lechner

Sith-blood.png
 
Relationship Status: It's Complicated
VarDiv.png
TAG: Kaila Irons Kaila Irons

“That is a non-answer, but I suppose you understand my point. Whether you like it or not, Carnifex is here to stay. Someone like the twice-emperor does not fade into obscurity.”

It was a short explanation, but it was the truth. His own interests required the presence of one such as Carnifex. He would draw the attention which would allow the Wolf to do what he needed to do while everyone else was focused on what he did. There was much at stake within the Order, and while the wolf wanted to advance it, he also needed to secure it.

Her attention shifted to how Gerwald had come to be in the service of the Empress. It was a story that could be as long or as short as it needed to be. The Dread Wolf took in a breath.

“I have been working with her longer than this Order has been in existence.”

Gerwald was certain that was not the answer she wanted or expected. The story was not as simple.

He grinned.

“The Confederacy of Independent Systems was once the largest power in the galaxy, a force for freedom. They came to my planet and when I realized there were those among their ranks like me, I left with them. When I joined the Knights Obsidian, Srina Talon was an Exarch of the Confederacy.”

“During this time, while fighting the Mandalorian Empire on Tanaab, a friend of mine was killed. I loved her. Darth Prazutis killed her. He tortured me. Srina found me. She kept me in her care until I was healthy again. Long before she was the Empress, and long before I was on the Dark Council, Srina Talon has been my mentor.”


If Kaila wanted more detail than that, it was something she could ask.

“How did you find yourself encumbered by Carnifex?”

 
ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴀᴛʜᴇᴍᴏᴜꜱ

He her undivided attention as she leaned forward on the desk, like a child during story time. Knights Obsidian, Exarch of the Confederacy, Tanaab, they were all but stories to her, relics of a time she had just barely missed yet seemingly so distant. The Mandalorian Empire however, that name seemed familiar to the young darth, causing her to glance down at her cup again.

Until the name Prazutis drew her gaze once more. No longer mournful, it was a look of severity.

And perhaps understanding.

"Those two have a way of heightening one's pain tolerance, don't they."
Anathemous remembered well the many long hours she had spent strapped into her former master's devices. Even without her stolen memories, was it any wonder she hated the Kainites?

Though they seemingly processed it differently, She and Gerwald shared something in common that few yet living could. Whether he knew it in this moment or not, He'd gained a new level of respect from Anathemous that may change how they interacted in the future. After all, it was so very rare that Sith might understand one another in such a way.

An understanding Gerwald might soon share.

“How did you find yourself encumbered by Carnifex?”

"Ah."

Anathemous took another sip, her gaze less focused now, more reflective.

"I've been asking myself the same question for years, and only recently arrived at an answer."

"I woke in a hospital one day, on Krownest, I believe. I couldn't remember anything, panicked... Burnt someone, with the force, that's how I discovered my powers. After that his wife, Darth Xryrah, they approached me with summons from Carnifex. This was before they were married you see, Xyrah was a... concubine."

"I've been his apprentice ever since, until Lady Talon made me governor here."

She looked distant then as she recalled all which had happened since that moment. Her discovery on Praesitlyn, her talks with Varys Amun and Eira Dyn. Revelations delivered to her doorstep by Carnifex himself not long ago. It had all led her here.

"But I never stopped digging. My findings led me the Mandalorians and the
Treaty of Vanquo... I concluded that I must have been one of the Clan Solus youth who'd been traded to His sith empire following the initial purge. The Tsis'kaar discovered lost footage proving this, and the manifestation of my powers in the field brought His attention upon me. Thus my missing memories, and his desire for my servitude."

"Recently he offered to return these memories... something about the wisdom of lover, gave him second thoughts."

Her gaze turned to one of the desk drawers, where the drive he'd given her was still safely tucked away. But she want it's contents back? That was a question she could not answer.


"I think... in some ways, we share more in common than I expected." she glanced up at him.

"Even if... he hasn't slain anyone close to me yet. I stopped trying to befriend my fellow apprentices years ago, had to kill too many." she shrugged.

"But... I have lost someone close to me, to the alliance. I am sorry for your loss. I know it's not easy."



Gerwald Lechner Gerwald Lechner

Sith-blood.png
 
Relationship Status: It's Complicated
VarDiv.png
TAG: Kaila Irons Kaila Irons

Gerwald nodded at the comment. It was a wonder the amount of pain the Wolf could tolerate after his time at the hands of Darth Prazutis. Mental anguish did more to cause harm to the Lupo than physical wounds. Nothing had been done to him which could not happen again, save dismemberment. Even that would not hurt in the same way it could have had the Wolf not been flayed alive by the Mountain.

“I cannot speak to what you experience, but what I should not be alive. It is only because Prazutis is cruel and my mistress a collector of broken things that I breathe.”

It was not so much that Srina was kind as she was possessive. Her determination that Gerwald was her Wolf, that he belonged to her, had shaped his service more than his determination of loyalty. Gerwald had a choice, just as any. He did not serve the Dread Queen because he was forced to. The devotion her actions demanded, however, was all or nothing. Faced with such a choice, Gerwald had opted that Srina Talon Srina Talon deserved every bit of allegiance and affection he gave her.

Kaila spoke. It was Gerwald’s turn to listen. His detail prompted detail of her own, what she could remember. In some ways it would have been a relief to have been robbed of his memory. To some degree it would have been a kindness, but it also would have made the Wolf lazy perhaps. Having parts of her life stolen from her mind was a cruel fate in the end. It had not been to protect anyone or anything, Gerwald imagined, so he could see no purpose in it other than what the Butcher King already believed.

He did it because he could. How ironic that Gerwald now acted as he did for the same reason.

A small smile pulled at his lips once more.

“Death is part of life. It is the natural order of things, and yet I was not content to allow it.”

He sipped his tea.

“I vowed to see Naedira live again, even if it would be to tell her I loved her and receive her rejection. Ten years I wore a ring on a chain around my neck because part of her soul had been bound to it, a tether to this world. Srina also undid it. Naedira lives, but I am now her anchor and tether. The Empress took from me to fill in what was missing from her.”

Gerwald set the cup of tea on the desk.

“If Carnifex is offering you your memories back, you must ask yourself… What is the cost to you? Will the sacrifice be worth the reward?”

 
ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴀᴛʜᴇᴍᴏᴜꜱ

"I..." hey eyes widened a moment.

"I suppose I shouldn't be so surprised. If His wives can transfer their souls on a whim, I suppose bringing back the dead isn't so uncommon. Though I certainly envy those who can."

Though the thought certainly gave her ideas. Specifically, it reminded the young sorceress that even if she could not extend her own life, she had access to a certain Dathomiri chant, thanks to The Emperor... perhaps she needn't supplement her forces with droids after all. All she really needed... were a few bodies.

She would squint at her cup, only to be asked a question which... she could not yet answer.

"...I don't know."

Kaila swallowed.

"I have them. Locked away somewhere, waiting... There is a cyberneticist who could allow me to experience them again, I have everything I've been searching for, in my grasp." She squeezed her fist as if it were really there.

"But now I fear what I might find."

Pain was the scalpel of creation, Carnifex taught her as much. But Anathemous had learned this to be a half truth, for it was by one's will to overcome this pain that they were made strong. That vicious animal within us all, clawing their way out of the abys, drinking deep the blood of all who stood in the way of that climb.

Was this something she could overcome, or but empty sorrow?

"It's ironic." she... smiled.

"That a sorceress should so reject this knowledge."



Gerwald Lechner Gerwald Lechner

Sith-blood.png
 
Relationship Status: It's Complicated
VarDiv.png
TAG: Kaila Irons Kaila Irons

Fear. The word was one Sith understood, but in different ways. Fear, anger, hatred, they were all strong emotions which led one deeper into the dark side of the force. Gerwald’s journey had been one of wanting revenge. It was ironic that he now served in the same Order where the man he wanted to kill resided. Naedira had made him promise to stay away from him, and what was needed for the Order required he stay his vengeance. It would come in time.

“What do you want?”

The question was one he had asked her before. It happened on Echnos the last time they met. Her answer had been one thing then, he wondered what it would be now in regards to her memory. The Dread Wolf knew if he had the choice to recover something which was lost he would take it. The decision to be Naedira’s anchor was borne solely out of wanting her back. His memories became hers, and Gerwald had chosen a path which had been selfish.

Srina had told him, love was selfish.

“Clearly Echnos is not it, completely. Your memory perhaps, or the secrets of what it may contain are something that lay beyond this place, that much is clear.”

He sat the tea cup on the desk.

“If you want your memories, why not just take them? I know that it may mean another deal with Carnifex, because nothing is free. What is it that you are afraid of.”

 
ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴀᴛʜᴇᴍᴏᴜꜱ

Kaila went silent for a time, considering the word of the wolf.

It was true that what she wanted laid far beyond Echnos. Why else would she have been willing to put their lives on the line, much as it shamed her? Even her love for Ala, though strong, was a thing she knew deep down she may have to let go of one day. For as selfish as Anathemous was, she would not risk that jedi's life any longer if she could not be turned toward the dark path.

No, what she truly wanted was neither so metaphysical as the jedi's heart nor material as this city.

But would the wolf dislike her answer?

"I want..." Kaila closed her eyes, sighing deeply at herself.

"A reason."

"The violence, the plots, the suffering... I want to know that it all serves a purpose, that I continue fighting for a reason."

When they opened again they had a melancholy quality to them, but the fire remained, bitter as it was now.

"For so many years, hating fate, hating Him for stealing these memories from me, has kept me going. Now he claims that I volunteered for His armies, that in some way, I chose this."

"It's not the memory itself that I fear, but losing that which made me who I am today."





 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom